The Palestinian leadership, having adopted the American idea of needing a total freeze on new construction in the contested areas before resuming talks, could not possibly sell this deal to its people. It would allow Israel to continue to flood east Jerusalem with settlers that may or may not have to be removed at a later date, and keep erecting significant buildings even in areas where private construction has temporarily ceased.

What the offer seems to be about is repairing relations between the US and Israel. The US can say it has produced a difficult and pathbreaking concession out of the unwieldy and bizarre Benjamin Netanyahu coalition. Mr Netanyahu can announce his big offer which leads to nothing, and honour is somehow restored.

The freeze might, in conjunction with other steps such as the looming prisoner swap with Hamas, start to put Israeli-Palestinian relations on a more constructive level. But I can't see it for now. Odd, isn't it, that Israel can negotiate with Hamas over the release of one soldier, but not about a lasting peace deal that will stop more soldiers being taken prisoner in the future?